Staff are also involved, however, in working on particular projects dealing with complaints or particular problems at a site.East Kilbride-based chemist Sue Bowers has been leading an initiative that has used the help of local people to try and find a solution to problems with odours from a landfill site in central Scotland.Since the summer of 2000 she has been taking regular air samples in an attempt to characterise the odours which local people have been complaining about.

However, one of the problems facing them was that when complainants called to report an odour, it was very often gone by the time SEPA staff arrived at the site.In an attempt to speed up sampling, tubes have been given to the residents, along with training on how to use them, so they can catch the samples themselves from their back gardens when the smell is strong.We haven’t got there yet but we are trying to find some compounds that are only in that area. It’s a long-term investigation.

Cameroon, the Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic have agreed to create Sangha Park, the first trans-border protected area in Central Africa, comprising some 11,000 square miles – equivalent to the size of Belgium.These three nations, along with Chad, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon, Condo Inspection have also agreed to protect a minimum 10% of their forests, to create a trust fund to implement conservation programmes and a co-ordination and monitoring body to be based in Yaoundé, Cameroon.

The first scientific base to be connected to the windmills will be Australia’s Mawson Base as it has an average annual wind speed of 27 miles per hour (mph) which is, in terms of annual wind, probably the best in the world.Scientists had previously thought windmills could not survive the destructive Antarctic winds, which can reach 155 mph, and freezing temperatures which plummet to minus 35 degrees Celsius.According to experts’ predictions, while temperatures are rising globally, they should be decreasing in the south-eastern United States and in China.This may be due, they say, to the presence of differing types of aerosols in the two areas, following a study of the effects of the 1991 eruption of the Filipino volcano, Mount Pinatubo.

Deryk subsequently qualified in childcare and psychiatric social work and has worked with children and families since 1970. He was appointed Director of Social Services in Gloucestershire in 1991 and was previous Deputy Director in Cumbria and Rochdale. Deryk is married to Susan, a Director of the Joint Review Team at the Audit Commission and they have two grown up sons. Clothing retailer Peacocks and one of the UK’s leading children’s charities NCH will together launch their new initiative ‘Make a Million Charity Challenge’ on June 16 with the chance to win a family trip to Florida.

Staff at Peacocks have already raised a fantastic Pre-Purchase Inspection £600k and in doing so have helped thousands of children, young people and their families. Having worked very successfully with NCH since 1998, Peacocks are delighted to take up our ‘Make a Million Charity Challenge’ to raise funds for the many children, young people and families NCH supports’. ‘From now until October 2004 we will be fundraising in lots of fun and innovative ways right across the company to ensure that we hit the crucial million pound target, something which I am very confident we will do.

One of the UK’s leading children’s charities, NCH and Virgin Retail have announced their new charity partnership at the Stereophonics album launch at the Oxford Street Virgin Megastore. Representatives from the charity were there to collect signed albums and t-shirts from the band who are currently number one in the album charts. These will be auctioned off for the charity at a later date along with items collected from future appearances by acts at Virgin Megastores.

Virgin Retail will aim to raise £100k during the two-year partnership through a variety of activities involving staff and customers across Virgin Megastores, Virgin Megastores Xpress and the Hammersmith head office. As well as fundraising at future in-store gigs, the partnership will see cash raised through auctions, product sales, in-store competitions and sponsored sporting events to name only a few. I am delighted that Virgin Retail has chosen NCH as its charity partner and look forward to working with staff and customers alike over the next two years.